Wedding Guest Attire: Can Wedding Guests Match the Bridesmaids?

A friend of mine is getting married soon, and her wedding color -- from the invites to the cake -- is pink. She let her bridesmaids choose their own dresses (all pink), which is where my problem comes in -- I want to wear my best dress to the wedding, but it's pink too. I don't want to be mistaken for a bridesmaid, so should I consider the wedding color off-limits?

A:

There are no hard-and-fast rules for guest attire, at least beyond what the formality of the occasion itself dictates. If you feel up to it, you could ask the bride (or one of her attendants) what she thinks -- she actually might love the idea of having some of her guests coordinate with her theme. Don't forget, the bridesmaids will have already been standing front-and-center for the entire ceremony -- between that and the bouquets, other guests will probably know who's who by that point.

Even if you don't want to broach the topic, you still have a couple of options. If it's making you that nervous or uncomfortable, you may want to simply choose something else to wear to the occasion. But if you don't want to buy something new (or if you just really love what you've got), why not add a couple of pieces to your attire that'll ensure nobody's confused -- a great accessory like snazzy shoes or a colorful wrap will make certain you'll stand out.